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Baptist unveils leap forward in patient care

Largest Project Ever for Baptist system goes live Jan. 1 and 2

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Baptist OneCare, Baptist Memorial Health's new electronic health record, was unveiled Jan. 1 and Jan. 2 at Baptist's four Minor Medical Centers and Baptist Medical Group clinics located throughout the metro-Memphis area, West Tennessee and Mississippi.

In July 2012, Baptist signed a contract with Epic, a software vendor based out of Verona, Wis.—paving the way for the 14-hospital system's transition to a new electronic health record. The project involves all 14 Baptist-affiliated hospitals along with its clinics and financial systems. All 14,000 Baptist employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians will be affected by the project.

Thursday's go-live represents the first wave of the transition to an EHR. The next phase will involve four metro-area hospitals, including the system's flagship hospital, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, on March 11.

The new Baptist OneCare system will create a single patient record that both caregivers and patients will be able to access. The EHR aims to maximize efficiency by reducing the need for duplicate tests and patients having to give the same information to multiple caregivers, according to Beverly Jordan, vice president and chief clinical transformation officer at Baptist. Patient privacy is protected the same way it would be with a written record.

The biggest convenience for patients is MyChart, a free app accessible via Smartphone or computer that allows patients to schedule appointments, refill prescriptions, direct message their care providers with the option of including photos, access lab results and much more.

Baptist chose Epic after conducting a great deal of research and involving colleagues in numerous demonstrations, which more than 2,500 attended. Baptist took colleagues' feedback into deep consideration before making a decision, according to Baptist leadership. Baptist colleagues played a role in branding the Epic-powered software as Baptist OneCare.

With approximately 270 customers, Epic serves more than 42 percent of the U.S. population and two percent of the world's population. Epic is known for making software geared toward use by mid-size and large hospital systems. KLAS' 2012 Top 20 Best in KLAS Report rated Epic as the No. 1 Overall Software Suite based on 25 separate performance measures. KLAS is an independent company that measures vendor performance to help hospitals make informed decisions. The same KLAS survey rated Epic as the best in ambulatory care and acute care electronic medical records, among others.

About Baptist

One of the largest not-for-profit health care systems in the United States, Baptist Memorial Health Care offers a full continuum of care to communities throughout the Mid-South. The Baptist system, which consistently ranks among the top integrated health care networks in the nation, comprises 14 affiliate hospitals in West Tennessee, North Mississippi and East Arkansas; more than 4,000 affiliated physicians; a multispecialty physician group; home, hospice and psychiatric care; minor medical centers and clinics; a network of surgery, rehabilitation and other outpatient centers; and an education system highlighted by the Baptist College of Health Sciences. Baptist has more than 2,300 licensed beds systemwide, employs more than 13,000 people and has approximately 85,000 admissions annually. For more information about Baptist, please visit www.baptistonline.org or call 800-4-BAPTIST.